The Riders Return
by Hermione Jean Burton
Summary: Full Summary: 1,000 years after the Death of King Galbatorix and the leaving of Eragon Shadeslayer and his dragon Saphira, the Dragon riders are now a myth and legend. Trouble is now rising once more in Alagaesia. And to top it off, a mystery cloaked figure has arrived in the woods near the city of Teirm and a young girl is dragged on an adventure she'll never forget.
1. It begins and he returns

Full Summary: 1,000 years after the Death of King Galbatorix and the leaving of Eragon Shadeslayer and his dragon Saphira, the Dragon riders are now a myth and legend. Trouble is now rising once more in Alagaesia. And to top it off, a mystery cloaked figure has arrived in the woods near the city of Teirm and a young girl is dragged on an adventure she'll never forget.

 ** _Diary Excerpt:_**

 **1,000 years have passed since the defeat of King Galbatorix. 1,000 years since the Dragon Rider Eragon Shadeslayer, and his dragon Saphira Bjartskular, left our land and made for a new place to bring back the order of Dragon Riders. 1,000 years since my ancestor, Roran Stronghammer, was awarded an Earldom by Queen Nasuada, for services to the Varden and went on to live in a castle in his childhood home, Palancar Valley. But more on that later.**

 **Today, however, is the beginning of the week-long festival to celebrate the one-thousandth year of the Varden's victory over the King Galbatorix. The Dragons and their Riders have all but been forgotten, and as a result descended into myth and legend. My family, though based in the Valley, were driving to Teirm to help organize the festival. This year's theme? The remembrance of all those lost during the skirmish between the Varden and Empire and the Dragon Riders that were killed when, according to legend, Galbatorix went on mad after losing his dragon, whose name has been lost in legend as with the truth of what happened. No one really knows what happened as the truth has been twisted and warped with the ages and there I was, on my way to the biggest city in our land, listening to my grandmother tell me how her great great great etc. grandfather fought in the war along with the Dragon Rider Eragon Shadeslayer in the Battle of the Burning Plains and how together they rescued my great etc. grandmother, Katrina Irinasdaughter, from the clutches of the Ra'zac in their stronghold, Helgrind.**

 **I sometimes wish that the Dragon Riders were still here, but unfortunately, all good things can never be. And all because, the army decided that they were too old-fashioned and peaceful. Grandmother says the Riders kept the peace and they were a key link to our past as they, and they alone, knew where their secret island lay and what lies upon it. Oh, how I wish to see one, maybe even Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira. But it can never be. The Riders are now legend to my generation and that's all they can ever be.**

Harriet 'Harry' Stronghammer looked up from her diary as her mother glared in her direction and put her pen down in the margin of her book. Looking out over the countryside, she felt the same thrill that she felt whenever the family traveled away from Palancar Valley and into the wilderness. Her family had strong ties to the monarchy and they could say that their ancestor was the cousin of the legendary Dragon Rider's leader, Eragon Shadeslayer/Bromsson. Of course, this resulted in ridicule whenever the family set foot out of their castle, a castle, legend said, that Earl Roran Stronghammer built himself after the skirmish between the Kingdom, then known as The Empire or Alageasia, and the rebels known as The Varden. According to the legend, that very fight was centered around two individuals, a young boy known as Eragon and a dragon he had named Saphira.

Eragon and Saphira had become part of an extinct order known as the Dragon Riders when Eragon had found a bright blue stone in the woods everyone called the Spine, while hunting for food for his family. Thinking that he could possibly buy meat for his family, Eragon had picked up the stone and taken it back to his farm, where the stone had later revealed itself to be an egg. And not just any egg either, a dragon's egg. Touching the hatchling, he had received a mark upon his palm, known as the Gedwey Ignasia, and had become one of the legendary Dragon Riders, an order killed by the then King Galbatorix, another Rider who had turned traitor upon his own order and slaughtered every last one of those who didn't join him. The ones that did join him became forever known as the Forsworn or the Thirteen Traitors. The Riders that managed to survive Galbatorix fled and went into hiding, along with the Elves and Dwarves, where they waited and hoped that one day, somewhere in the land, a new Rider would come forth and help defeat the King. It was into this fight that Eragon was said to be thrust. Fleeing his farm after his uncle was killed, Eragon, with the help of the village storyteller Brom, would train in Swordplay and Magic, and eventually meet the elven princess, Arya, who would go on to become more than a friend, an Ally in the fight for freedom of Alageasia. Luckily, his cousin had left the village four months earlier and was safe.

With Elves in hiding and no one knowing where the Dwarves were, the land had quickly descended into chaos and disarray. A small group of men had formed the rebel alliance that would be known as the Varden which, in the language of the Elves known as the ancient language, meant 'Wardens'. No one had known who had persuaded the Varden to form, the group had formed and grown that fast. No one. Except for the Rider Eragon.

Eragon. For generations, people had said that they were descended from his cousin, but when asked where his castle lay and where the old farm was buried, no one didn't have a clue and were exposed as frauds looking for the fame and fortune that her family had.

Jumping as her mother cleared her throat in a scratchy way, Harry looked away from the landscape and into her mother's eyes as she said, "Honestly, Harriet. Do you have to look so... ordinary and common?"

"Mother. I look like any other teenager who wants to fit in." Harry argued back, her voice like a waterfall, gesturing to her outfit. A dark purple calf-length skirt with a side-split, silver velvet top with one sleeve that ended and flared at the elbow and kitten heels that were also silver glitter. To top off the look, she had jet black hair that ran down to her bottom and slanted ice blue eyes that darkened in shadow and when she was angry. Her ears were also slightly tipped, resulting in the rumor that she was descended from elves.

"I do wish you had chosen something more appropriate for this occasion, Harriet." Her mother sighed, leaning back into her seat and looking her daughter over with a critical eye. Sighing once more, she added, "This is the Remembrance Festival. I would have like to present a young lady. Not someone who looked like they had been dragged through a hedge backward and come out screaming and kicking. What our ancestor, Roran, God rest his soul, would think if he were still alive today."

"As far as I know, Mother, the festival also doubles as a fancy dress competition for the kids and teenagers who are going. I have my costume in my bag. An authentic outfit from Roran's time, mother. I'm sure you'd agree with that. It is after all, from that time." Harry said, using the title as an offensive and looking out of the window once more as her grandmother said, "Give the child a break. And with this being her last time going to a festival with us before she goes to college, at least let her dress how she wants, okay, Minerva? It's not often one chooses to dress like she has. And she looks the part so well that anyone would think one had actually come out of hiding in curiosity. Or remembrance."

"What are you talking about, Aryana?" Harry's father asked from the driver's seat, looking in the rearview window at his daughter, "What have you chosen to be, Harriet?"

Smiling, Harry tapped her nose in secrecy, hoping that no one had been through her bags when she had left them in the trunk of the car. With her grandmother in the know, she couldn't afford to have her mother and father finding out what she had planned to wear for the competition, knowing that they would disapprove and demand something more ladylike. She had found the outfit in a box in the attic when she had been putting her things in that room. The box had been aged but the strangest thing was that it hadn't rotted away and the contents hadn't spilled out onto the floor. After prying it open, she had found the perfect ensemble for the said competition. And with the right accessories, she certainly looked the part, like her grandmother had said. A little too well sometimes, as she also spoke the ancient language of the elves fluently. She had been adjusting to her accessory when her grandmother had walked in and promptly screamed in excitement. It had taken ten minutes before Harry had calmed her down and reassured the elderly lady that she was her granddaughter. By the time the servants had come bursting into the room, Harry had managed to take the accessory off and thrown it into her wardrobe and put on her dressing robe and sat down with her grandmother, listening as she spoke about the past. Her grandmother had spoken about the war that had happened a thousand years ago and Harry was enraptured, listening as her grandmother weaved legend into fact's as she spoke about the legendary Dragon Rider Order and their mysterious leaders, Vrael and Eragon Shadeslayer, and their achievements in life. As Harry listened to her grandmother, she felt as one with history, feeling like she had been born in the wrong century and wanting to know more about the people who had been bonded with the magnificent beasts, Dragons.

Focusing her attention back onto the here and now, she heard her grandmother telling her parents, "...and they were so graceful. Just like our Harry here. Have you ever wondered why she walks and talks like the forest dwellers, yet is so obviously human? This is one question that we can never answer unless we agree that the Riders exist, as do the Elves, Urgals and Dwarves. We have to believe that the war was won, because of these mysterious beings who were driven back from where they lived and sent away into where ever the hell they are now. And all because of him."

"Mother, I would prefer it if we did not talk of the Elven folk, the Urgals, the Dwarves or the legend that is the Dragon Riders, thank you. We are near Teirm and I would like it if we kept this for home and family time." Minerva said, sending a glare at her mother and daughter, who held her gaze steadily, before turning to look out of the window as the city of Teirm came into view ahead of them. Having driven all day, Harry couldn't wait to see the city in all its splendor. Being the only city, apart from the Capital's of both Surda and Alageasia, that held the traditional festival, Teirm was a huge tourist spot and housed many museums in honor of the Rider Eragon and the Varden.

As she looked, Harry thought she saw a shadow pass over the car but when she looked back, there was obviously nothing to be seen.

'Odd,' she thought, looking up at the sky and behind them, 'I could have sworn that I saw something pass over the car. I wonder what it was.'

"Harriet, what is it?" Her mother asked her, startling the teenager as she looked out of the rear view window. Whipping her head around, Harry looked at her mother in confusion and answered, "I, I thought I saw something pass over us. It must have been my imagination, mother.", before looking out of the window again and seeing that they had arrived in Teirm, city by the sea and if the legend was to be believed, the place where Roran and the entire village of Carvahall pirated a ship called the Dragon Wing on their journey to join the Varden.

By the time, she gave what she had seen any more thought, they had arrived in Teirm and she saw a young man jump out of the way of the car and stood on a woman's foot. He was cloaked and he seemed to look out of place in the countryside as he was shoved off the woman's foot and stood there awkwardly, looking up at Teirm's city wall. He also seemed to be holding something underneath his cloak as he walked. A something that glittered as the clothing moved with the wind as he walked into the city.

'Who is he? And why have I never seen him before?' she thought, looking forward again, as they drove up to their hotel.

LINE BREAK! CHANGE OF P.O.V.

 _This place has changed, Saphira._ Eragon thought, looking over his blue dragons shoulder at the land below, _Makes me wonder what all the fuss is about and why Arya was wanting us to return._

The month before, they had received a distressing message from the Elven Queen, Arya Drottning, and had immediately packed for Alageasia, not knowing what they were going to see. The both of them had changed since the last time they had been in Alageasia, nearly a thousand years ago. Eragon was no longer lanky, but had filled out with muscles and Saphira was bigger and bulkier in the body, while still holding onto a slim body. Her scales were sharper and could cut even the hardest of minerals, but they still held sheen and could be seen even in murky and miserable weather.

Saphira merely hummed in reply, too tired to think as she flew in search for a place to rest, hopefully in the Spine, near Teirm so Eragon could explore the city they had met Joad, the scribe who had helped the Varden steal Saphira's egg, with the help from Eragon's father, Brom. The man had also harbored both his friend and Eragon when they were hunting the Raz'zac.

Landing in a secluded clearing, Saphira crouched low on her belly, allowing Eragon to jump from her back, and roll upon landing on the hard floor, armor clanging against armor in a cacophony of metal against metal. Straightening up, Eragon looked around him and up at Saphira as she looked down at her Rider with deep sapphire blue eyes that sparkled as he looked at her.

 _We must rest before you venture into the unknown, Eragon. This journey has been hard on both of us, even with the Eldunari safely back home. We may look young and healthy, but our years show in our eyes._ came the mental response as she lay down and growled softly while shuffling her wings into a more comfortable position, half-lifting the wing facing her Rider in an invitation for him to rest underneath. Smiling, Eragon did just that and closed his eyes, giving into his waking dreams as Saphira lowered her wing and drifted into a deep sleep, sharing her dream with him and vice versa.

Some hours later, the pair were rested and Eragon was stretching his stiff joints into something more flexible. Hearing his back pop, he smiled as he straightened again and drew an iridescent blue bladed sword from his bags, settling into a fighting stance, crouching down with the sword held firmly in two hands and in front of him.

Twisting the blade into a single hand, Eragon lunged forward at an imaginary enemy, parrying the blow in his mind and swinging the blade for a feint to the left below the leg, aiming to bring the enemy to the ground. Settling back into the first stance, he repeated the process and spun around, bringing his sword up to block and parry an enemy at the back of him, stabbing the air and spinning the blade around, gripping it in both hands and slicing the air. Over and over again, he blocked, parried and attacked the enemies in his mind, until he had worn himself out and was breathing hard at the exertion he had out himself through.

Sheathing the sword, Eragon looked up at Saphira, smiling, and saw that the eye facing him was sparkling in amusement. He didn't need the rebuke she gave him as he went off in search of a stream to wash the sweat from his body.

 _You ought to be more careful, Eragon. A fool would realize that we are out of practice on the real combat front. Having only sparred with the trainees, is it any wonder why you use your memories for your own practice?_ Saphira said, amusement coming in waves as Eragon looked to her and flicked water in her direction.

 _Thanks, Saphira,_ he grumbled, dipping his hands into the stream he had found, a few feet from their camp site, and washing his face with the water, _yes, I know I'm out of practice, but I think that I didn't need just my memories this time. For reasons I don't yet know, I feel like we are being watched from afar. I think we must be cautious when we reveal ourselves to Alagaesia as Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Bjartskular._

 _In that case,_ came the annoyed response from Saphira as she shuffled her wings again in annoyance, _I guess it's back to when we were on the run from the Empire. You going into Teirm and me staying out of sight. Again!_

That bit the bullet, so to speak, for Eragon as he flicked water and tried to fight back the memories that came unbidden to his mind. Shielding his mind from the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him, Eragon sighed and looked back at his dragon and said, _Saphira, if I could do anything, ANYTHING AT ALL, I would make sure that you were there, by my side and showing the land that we still exist. You hear me? I would do anything for that chance for us to be shown together. Now, please, put those poisonous thoughts out of your head and let this day be known as the day that we came back and no one even knew about it._

 _Thank you, Little One._ she said, quietly, adding a little louder, _Go. Go and explore this new Alagaesia we have stumbled upon. But be sure to take Brisingr with you. Just do not lose the stupid splinter of metal, you are so fond of using with the you are so insistent on teaching them in using a splinter as a weapon is beyond me. If you get into trouble, yell and whoever is troubling you had better watch out as I will come with a vengeance._

 _And I love you too._ came the smiling response as Eragon tickled her and turned away, squaring his shoulders and walking away from her, throwing his hooded cloak over his armor and walking away from their camp site. A few feet away, he started to run to Teirm, running out of the woods and stopping dead as he saw carts driving themselves, people in strange tunics and strangely, women with breeches and some with their hair cut above their shoulders. All of them were heading in the same direction, to Teirm, he guessed as he followed them.

 _Saphira, Alagaesia really has changed since our departure._ he commented in surprise as he followed the people to the city. _There are carts that drive themselves and the people all dress the same. Like the Elves do. Or did, I don't know._

 _Do not get stressed over it, Eragon. I am sure that we will find Du Weldenvarden to be the same, if not bigger and more prosperous._ came the reassuring reply accompanied by what Eragon thought to be a soft ripple of emotions coming through their mental link. Smiling slightly, he stopped at the sight of Teirm and was buffeted about by people as they went by on their business, some grumbling about "Kids stopping dead as if they've never seen Teirm before."

Gulping nervously, Eragon sent a quick mental picture to Saphira and stepped forward into the city, just as a cart came beside him and startled him into jumping back onto someones foot, making a feminine voice shout out and curse like a sailor, shoving him off her foot and walk on into the city, without so much as looking back at the boy who had jumped out of his skin.

Taking a calming breath, Eragon walked forward into the city and was immediately stopped by the sight of all the colorful banners strung from every house. People were walking about almost as if this was normal, kids were running about shouting and bawling, too wrapped up in their games to notice that a stranger had stepped into their midst and was staring at the houses. The same carts were all over the place, some were bigger than others, some were smaller, others were longer that most. People were coming out of the carts and walking into them, the carts then going away from the places they were stopped. In the center of each street was a stand that proclaimed: '1000 years!'.

Wondering what that meant, Eragon started walking again, sending Saphira mental pictures through their link. In some ways, the town/city was exactly the same with children running about and screaming as they went, but in may other ways, it was also very... different and strange.

Hearing a voice that was louder than everyone else in the city, Eragon looked around to see that the people had stopped their activities and went to the source of the voice. Cocking his head, he followed suit and let himself be dragged along by the crowd as they all congregated around a stage, where a family was standing. A man in front of the family was saying, "...And it gives me great pleasure to introduce this year's hosts: Lord and Lady Stronghammer, and their daughter, Harriet." And with the introductions over, the man stood aside and let 'Lord Stronghammer' take the talking piece, while his wife, a woman with brown hair that shone as if it were raven black stood at his side and his daughter, a teenager with long jet black hair with hints of blue shimmering in the sunlight, slightly slanted ice blue eyes stood at the back watching everyone with a bored look. Along with her elfin features, this Harriet was also looking like she was human. She also looked like someone Arya had stressed about nearly thirteen years ago. A young girl, whose name escaped him at times. On a whim, Eragon pushed everything aside, reached out with his mind and touched the girl's, making her jump slightly and look him straight in the eyes.


	2. What The

Harry jumped and gasped as a strange sensation came over her. Looking out at the crowd, she saw the same young man who had trodden on the woman's foot as they had driven past. Looking at him, she saw the intense concentration on his face as he stared at her. As quickly as it had come, the feeling and the mans looks were gone and he was once more focused on what her father was saying, "...Please feel free to look around the stalls and children and adults alike are free to enter the fancy dress costume competition. All entrants are to go to my wife here to sign up and the first prize winner will be announced at the end of this week, at the time of the greatest battle this land has ever seen! But for now, allow me, and my family, to declare this festival officially open."

Smiling slightly as her family left the stage to polite applause, Harry slipped away into the crowd, desperate to find the young man in the crowd and find out what it was that he had been doing. Unfortunately, by the time she had reached the place, he had slipped away into the crowd. Looking around her as she stopped in the same spot he had been standing, Harry huffed and placed her hands on her hips and stood there, spinning around on the spot. Once or twice, she thought she saw him but it always turned out to be another person.

'Just who is he? And what was he doing when Father was speaking?' she thought as she gave up and rejoined her parents as they stood waiting for her, 'Maybe I'll see him again before the week is out. Or sooner.'

"Harriet. Are you even listening to your Mother?" A voice interrupted her thoughts and forced her back to her parents, her father looking down at her as her mother spoke to someone who had come to ask questions about the competition.

"Sorry, Father. I thought I saw someone in the crowd earlier." Harry said, turning her attention onto her mother as the woman said, "...And please come to the old Carvahall ruins sometime. I give tours and tell of our ancestors daily life there."

Rolling her eyes, she turned away and made off into the crowd in search of the young man who had disappeared. Pushing through the people and ignoring any protests that came from them, she looked around again and saw him as he made off towards the old city.

Looking around her as he disappeared again, Harry puffed and blew her hair out of her face and stepped forwards and over to the wall that separated the new and modern from the ancient and historical and saw the only other occupant walking away from her.

'Who are you to go wandering around in the oldest part of the city?' she thought as she looked around whilst she wondered whether to go in or not. Taking a deep breath, she pushed on the gate and stepped in after the boy, seeing his cloak fluttering round a corner as he disappeared at the end of the gate.

Mustering up her courage, for she was not a Stronghammer for nothing, Harry walked forwards away from the modern world and into the abandoned city behind the wall, following him as he moved with elfin ease and poise along the cobbled and uneven streets while she stumbled along behind him.

In time, he stopped in front of a house and stood there before walking up to it in wonder as Harry caught up and stopped some steps behind him. He seemed to sense something as he turned tail and looked around the street, Harry ducking behind a wall as he turned his head in her direction.

His eyes, though both man and teen girl were far apart from each other, were a dark colour, the same shade as what she could see of his hair, and he held himself with a warrior's grace which was evident in his stride and posture. At that moment, a chilly wind rose up and blew his hood back and off his head, revealing the rest of his hair, a slight wrinkle around his eyes and a twinkle at his waist as his cloak fluttered in the wind and blew apart to reveal a hand-and-a-half sword that had a blue blade and scabbard, topped with the largest sapphire that Harry had ever seen. The now-revealed man seemed to notice the wind as he let go of the swords pommel and grabbed at the hem of the cloak and brought it closer to him as he turned back to the house and moved away from it, his head down and revealing slightly pointed ear tips under the dark brunette hair as he made to put the hood back up over his head.

Moving into the street as he rounded the corner, Harry went up to the house where he had been stood and looked at the cracked and rotted door and looked in the direction that he had left in and looked at the windows in the same way that he had and felt nothing as she turned to leave and go back the way she had come.

"Can I help you?" Came the question as she screamed and turned sharply to come face to face with the most elven face she had ever seen as the man's face morphed from questioning into surprised shocked and tried to quiet her down as he waved his hands about.

"Shhh," He hushed, "Fricai, eka weohnata néiat haina ono. I will not harm you, friend."

The sincerity in his voice made Harry pause as he looked her in the eyes and saw nothing but kindness and honesty as footsteps made him flick them to the wall and mutter a single word under his breath as he turned to run off into the old city, putting his finger to his lips in a motion of silence as she nodded, muted by some unknown force as he turned and gracefully ran away from her, disappearing round the corner he had appeared from as men from the other side of the wall appeared down the street.

"Ma'am, are you okay, ma'am?" One of them asked, shaking her as she stared at the house and then at them as if in a trance before blinking and focusing on them as the first one spoke again and nodded at the question.

"Must have been a rat that I saw," She muttered, allowing herself to be lead out of the walled-off city and back into the hustle and bustle of the modern world as the door clicked shut with a creak and a dull boom, locking the history and magical atmosphere away behind that wall.

'Who is that man?' Harry thought as she was handed off to her parents and grandmother who fussed over her and asking her why she had wandered off away from them.

"Give it a rest, would you?" She said, gaining her hand back from her mother, stepping away and glaring at the woman as their voices stopped and they stared, affronted, "Geez, I went missing for five minutes and you call out a search party!"

"You don't know the dangers of being out in the world on your own, young lady. You-" Her mother began before a hand was laid on her shoulder and the eldest Stronghammer said, "At least, let her find her own way in the world every now and then, Minerva."

"But, mother,"

"I know the dangers of our land. Don't forget, I trained with the best."

"Yes, I know. You say that every time we have an argument." Minerva sighed, her face growing tired as she continued, "It still doesn't sit right with me when Harry goes off on her own."

"Give her room to grow and mature. It does no good to fuss over a teenager, especially a teenager this beautiful and elegant. Not to mention, inquisitive."

"Can we stop this argument in the here and now and go to the hotel? Harry still needs to explain why she walked off after the ceremony." Howard asked, looking around and looking back at the women as Harry gulped and looked down as she allowed herself to be lead to the hotel and the general wealth of the world around her. Behind the wall, there had been a little bit of wealth in the way that the ruins were made, but the rest of the atmosphere had felt like the poor had been mingled with that air of grandeur, and she had liked and mourned that feeling.

Looking up as they passed into the hotel's safety, Harry allowed her parents to lead her up to the penthouse apartment that had been pre-booked for their purpose and shown to her room which was decorated with different colors such as red's, blues and even a slight hint of green mingled in between and above the bedhead was a bright blue juvenile dragon standing grandly on it's hind legs with its wings stretched out behind it and it's forepaws lifted above the grassy plains where two human figures stood, looking down at a mound in front of them.

The door was shut with a small click as she walked towards the bed and sat down, staring at the scene on the wall by the head of the bed and felt the mattress go a little dented a little before a voice said, "What did you see in that place? You've been oddly quiet since you were brought out and handed over to us."

"Nana, I think I saw someone walk towards those ruins. A man who looked like he may have been elven. He wore a cloak, sword, and some kind of elegant looking tunic clothing that fit his build. When the wind blew his hood off, I saw that his hair was a dark brunette, his ears were pointed, like an elf's, and that he was slightly aged. He had a warrior's grace in the way that he held himself and he also kept his hands in the cloak itself as if he were expecting an attack to happen at any given moment. When I screamed after he had asked what I was doing there, he tried to calm me down, not even clamping a hand over my mouth as he did so. Instead, it was something he said that made me calm down as he looked me in the eyes. I saw something in those eyes before he looked away and to the end of the street and then he ran off, but not before he put a finger to his lips in order for me to keep quiet. That's when the men came who brought me back to modern society." Harry described her encounter with the man as her grandmother grew slightly more surprised by every word and detail that came out of her granddaughter's mouth. Nodding, Aryana got up off the bed and began to pace the room with a finger on her chin as if she were trying to think who the man could be. By the sounds of it, the man was friendly and was unwilling to harm the child before her as Harry went back to staring at the painting above the bed, and looked at the picture of the dragon and two figures. The picture was set in the early days of Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira, if the way that the dragon held itself was anything to go by, and there were no villages for miles around that were visible in the painting. The figures were looking down at the mound as if they were in mourning, and the one on the left held a sword in its hand that was by its side, so it had to be in the Post-Fall times.

'If only things were that simple nowadays.' Aryana caught herself thinking, smiling slightly as Harry got off the bed and started to rummage around in her suitcase, grabbing something and going to the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.


	3. Er Hi?

Eragon swore to himself as he rounded the corner after running from the weirdly dressed guards and press himself against the wall of a sturdy-looking house as Saphira pressed urgently against his mind to gain access. Taking steadying breathes, he lowered his mind wards and allowed her through, only to wince as he heard a low growl in her mind before she said, _Are you CRAZY! You could have blown your cover, you stupid human!_

 _Did you know about that?_ he asked, wincing once more as the affirmative reaction came through the mind-link and Saphira answered, _We are connected in more ways than one, Eragon. Of course, I knew about what you just did. It was reckless going into the old city on your own. What if that girl says something to the authorities and they come looking for you?_

 _You sound like Oromis and Glaedr when we've done something wrong. Besides, I don't think she will. She was calmed after I spoke to her in the ancient language._ Eragon replied, looking around the street that he had hidden in as a light breeze started up and pulled softly at his hood and cloak, making him pull the garment off his head and looked up at the ruins before he walked through the street and stopped in front of a ruin.

 _You and I don't know that. She may have told someone as soon as she was able to get her head straight._ Saphira answered him calmly as he looked at the house/ruin and felt a sense of familiarity with the place. Turning his head as he heard footsteps, he snuck into the shadows as a group of men came walking by, only to stop and look at the house and say, "Shame that. It must have been so elegant."

"You don't know that. It's been like that for maybe centuries after it was abandoned. And no one even knows if that legend is true." Another man said, looking in the shadows with misty and hollowed eye sockets. The man was holding onto the first speaker's arm as if it were a lifeline and he was holding a stick that had a ball on the bottom. He was blind as Eragon walked backwards and further into the shadows.

"Now, dad. There's been evidence of bones in a field not far from here, so maybe there is some truth in what they say. Maybe Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira did exist and maybe they did visit Teirm before they joined the Varden." The first man replied as they grunted and moved away.

 _Eragon, are you even listening to what I'm telling you?_ came Saphira's voice as he crouched and a skinny and matted dog lifted it's sleepy head and stared at him as he did the same and whispered quietly in the ancient language to send it back to sleep, which it eventually did as it closed it's eyes and laid it's head back down on it's skinny paws as he looked away and saw that the men were walking away from the house and down the street, away from his hiding place as he stood ad walked back out again, this time, making sure to look both ways as he hurried back to the wall and back into modern society hopefully without the father and son noticing his movements as he stopped in front of the wall and the portcullis's gargantuan size and shadows moved behind him which made him turn to face an old woman who held a walking stick in defense.

"I don't want any trouble, okay? I just want to find my way out of here." He said, putting his hands up as far as his cloak would allow, as well as keeping his Gedwey Ignasia hidden, the woman eyeing the sword on his hip and then straight in his eyes before she said, "You're the man that my granddaughter described. What are you doing in the old ruined part of Teirm? You should be with the actors and getting ready for the re-enactment of the battle."

"Re-enactment?" Eragon asked, confused as he cocked his head and adopted a confused look as the woman laughed and said, "Good God. The battle that occurred here over a thousand years ago. The one that everyone knows about. You're certainly dressed for the part."

"Battle?" _Saphira, help!_

 _You got yourself into this mess. You can get yourself out of it, Little One._ Was Saphira's answer, laughter just bubbling under the surface as he tried not to scowl at her and the woman in front of him. Looking back at her as she hummed in wonder, she shook her head and began walking away as he watched, turning back once and said to him, "You're finding your way out, aren't you? Come on then."

 _What do you remember of Teirm, Saphira? I don't remember being involved in a battle._ Eragon asked, falling into step beside the girl's grandmother, making sure that he didn't give anything away the he was speaking with his mind. He could feel the great dragon scouring her mind in search of the elusive battle.

 _Neither do I. I don't think that we were involved in any battle. More like we were on Vroengard, looking for the Eldunaríya._ Saphira answered as the woman started saying, "I don't know what they teach in schools these days, or when you were at school, but the legend of the Battle of Teirm is quite famous. It's one of the only battles that Eragon Shadeslayer didn't join whilst with the Varden."

"He never joined in?" Eragon caught himself asking, brows furrowing in his memories of the time. All his memories were jumbled together in a confused ball of violence, training, and politics that it was hard for him to grasp on what he needed. Saphira tried to help him untangle it all, but her memories were just as confused. The woman looked at the Rider and nodded before she said, "I never thought of it before now, but Eragon Shadeslayer was apparently on a mission when it all kicked off here."

"Can I ask how you know that?"

"You can, and it was in school. That and the rumours of his existence around the time of the battle. Archeologists have found scrolls from around that time in Feinstar and they mention a Great blue beast bearing down on the city. There's also another mention of the same beast after the city began to rebel against the new ruler's reign. Surely you must know that."

"I only know about the Riders of Old and the Fall of the Riders a hundred years before. You could say that I never listened." Eragon lied, reserving his judgement of the woman as they made it out of the old city of Teirm and into the hustle and bustle of modern life beyond the parapets. The woman looked at him in silence as he tried not to wince at the volume of the festival around him, and found herself asking who this stranger was.

'He looks like the man that Harry saw in the crowd earlier today.' She thought to herself as he started to walk off, his eyes downcast as if he were thinking or doing something else entirely.

Looking out into the crowd, she saw her granddaughter walking towards her in the costume that she had picked out and the man stop dead in his tracks as he saw the girl coming towards her, before continuing on his way. Smiling as Harry stopped, she sighted the man furrow his brow and turn away, disappearing again, before switching her attention onto her granddaughter as the girl said, "You went and found him in the ruins?"

"I had to see if it was the same man you saw in the crowd, Harriet. You are far too curious for your own good at times." She answered, smiling as Harry gave a small smirk in response to the remark, before rolling her eyes and saying back, "And look where that got me. I'm far too overprotected for my own good."

"Is it any wonder why you want to go away to college?" She asked rhetorically, sighting Harry scowling before muttering and walking away after saying, "Father wants to know when you're going back to the Hotel room. We're ordering room service for dinner."

"As long as he knows that I'm vegetarian still." She answered, nodding at the news, causing Harry to nod and go her own way and the man going towards the gates of the city and disappear through them, silently passing the guards who were dressed in the uniform of the day.


	4. Dragon in the Forest

\--A WEEK LATER--

It was a sunny evening after the day's events when the man in the strange cloak was mentioned again. The Stronghammer family were enjoying a quiet cup of whatever when Harry suddenly jumped as if electrified and looked over the balcony as people passed by below their hotel apartment. Her grandmother noticed straight away the look on her face and cleared her throat, catching the girl'sattention as she snapped to attention and blushing slightly.

"You haven't thought any more about that man from the first day, have you, Harriet?" Her grandmother asked out loud, her voice sincere and curious as the other adults looked at them both. Minerva especially scowled as she heard the words coming from her mother and put the cup down on the saucer and said, "I do not want to hear anything that will come from your mouth, Harriet. You're lucky that those men found you when they did. You were in a dangerous place that was cordoned off from the rest of the city. Goodness only knows what that man, if that is even what he is, could have done to you."

"Mother, I learnt the basics of the ancient language in History." Harry argued, "Historic people, namely the Dragon Riders, the Elves and magic users, have been known to use it to gain the trust of those they encounter. Not to mention, you can't lie in that language, it's totally impossible to try. And that man used The Ancient Language. I would know it from Adam and Eve."

"Suffice to say, I would rather that you never thought of that man again. Do you even know what he looked like? The police will be coming round later tomorrow to get a statement from you and a sketch artist to draw his likeness." Harry's mother said, staring at her daughter as the girl gained a face of surprise, her mouth open a little, her eyes staring ahead. All too sudden, she was up on her feet and shaking her head before she turned on her heels and stormed away, disappearing into her room and slamming the door behind her. All three adults stared at the obstacle before Aryana turned to her daughter and said, "You overdid it, Minerva. She's delicate."

"That's not why I addressed it, mother. This could be the return of Shadeslayer to our lands." Minerva answered, sighing as she picked up her own cup and drank the last dregs of tea and got up to put it in the sink, before saying in the native language of the dwarves, "You know as well as I do that the Queen will be wanting to hear of his return."

"You threatened the girl with the police. She doesn't need that." Aryana retorted, standing shakily and walking to stand in front of Minerva, adding, "You know her story as much as any of us, barring Harry, who doesn't remember. Don't tell me to call her by her 'real name' because we never found that out."

"Then tell me why we're keeping her real name a secret. We found that out when the Queen came to visit."

"Because, we couldn't pronounce it when she tried to teach us the name, so we had to make do with one that sounds the same but we could pronounce. I hate having to lie and keep everything a secret." Aryana answered, putting her hands on the woman's shoulders and drawing her into a hug as tears started leaking out and onto the fabric of both women's clothing.

"Oh, Mom." Came the sob from Minerva as Aryana held onto her tightly, partly to keep herself upright and to offer comfort the sobbing woman.

\--HARRY--

'Why can't they see that the man helped me?' Harry thought to herself as she hugged a pillow and laid on her bed. The feeling that she had was that her parents were keeping something from her and that it was likely to be important.

"After all, how many times did one come across a person in the ruins of any town or city?" Harry said out loud, speaking to no one in particular as she closed her eyes and snuggled on the bed, her anger partially giving way to a tired fatigue that she had been hiding well throughout the week.

 _Often enough, I'd wager. If the place is rumoured to be haunted with the souls of the dead._ A voice said, startling Harry into sitting bolt upright as well as looking around. Before she could process what was happening, the voice was already talking again and saying, _I cannot be seen, yet I can be heard. I know no capture, yet I am captive. You are not the only one who feels this._

"Where are you? How are you doing that?"

 _I am able to do this as I have the gift of magic. You can do it too if you think your answers. I will hear what you have to say._ The voice sounded so melodic that Harry felt compelled to obey and nodded, going over to the window and thought, _You never told me where you were._

A growl erupted from the folds of her mind and shocked the girl as she stumbled back from the window and heard, _I cannot tell where I am as of yet._

"Can you at least tell me your name?"

 _Saphira. My name is Saphira._

 _Is there a reason why you're talking to me like you are? You could always come to the city-_ Harry tried to say, only to be interrupted by a low growl from Saphira as she answered in a low, dangerous voice, _I CANNOT! However, I can send my friend to see you. He will bring you to where I am and we can talk._

 _Where, when, who and what time?_ Harry asked, already wanting to get out of the hotel and the city, away from the festival and her parents. Saphira seemed amused as laughter bubbled beneath the surface as she answered with, _You have already met him. He will meet you at sundown tomorrow near the wall that leads to the ruins. His name is Bromsson._

THE SPINE

Earlier

The light of the forest sparkled off the great dragonesses scales as she shifted and looked to the man as he walked back through the under bush of the forest floor and gave a draconic smile as he neared and set the bow and arrow down near the saddlebags.

 _Eragon, how do you feel meeting the girl from last week?_ she asked, watching as he unpacked a sleeping bag and unravelled it on the floor, looking up at her as he finished his task and sat down near her.

 _Can I ask why you ask that?_ Eragon questioned, leaning back into her scales, having no real need for a campfire. One thousand years as a Rider and a farmboy even before then had taught him not to use necessary things unless you had real need for it, such as wood for a fire in summer when you would only need it in Mid-Winter.

 _You are worried. In turn, that makes me worried. What if the threat in Alagaesia is such that we need to involve some of the generation that has made its way int the world? We are-_

 _I know that we have a bond, Saphira. When I reassured the girl, she seemed to know what I was saying, but couldn't think of a way to respond to my claim._ Eragon sighed, stopping what he was doing and looking her in her big saphirre blue eye as she looked at him and curled around him, _In any case, I would like to see what has befallen her. Call it what you want, I know I have a hero complex._

 _You do, but this is about something more. It's about HER, isn't it?_ Saphira asked, noticing the way Eragon froze and stiffly looked at her, an unusual emotion showing in his eyes. A blink later and the emotion was gone and the Rider was back to doing what he had been doing before. However Saphira cold still feel in turmoil in the depths of his mindscape.

 _Contact the girl. We can see if she wants to meet._ Eragon said, a bitter edge hinting at the distress in his voice. He didn't say anything more as Saphira sought out the girl from the ruins and spoke to her.

Five minutes later and the dragoness told him, _It is done. You meet at the ruins at sundown tomorrow._


	5. Meeting at the Wall

Sundown couldn't come sooner for the Stronghammer girl. All day she had been trying to figure out what the mysterious Saphira had meant by her already meeting the messenger and very nearly walked into five different people as she was caught up in her own musings. Each time, the girl had brought herself out of her thoughts to dodge a collision, and each time, the person had nodded and carried on their way.

The night before had been a tense affair for the girl as her mother and Grandmother had eaten and not make any conversation to Harry or Howard. As such, Harry was not in the best of moods when dinner had finished, instead choosing to go to her room and curl up on her bed, wishing for the week to be over, or at least the night and the next day, so she could meet this Saphira person. What intrigued her was the growls that had sounded animalistic when she had said something or had suggested that the woman came to Teirm to meet her. As such, the adults didn't know of her conversation as she entered the library of Teirm and went to the computer area to research magic and it's users.

Typing in the keywords, 'mind-speaking people', Harry sighed and rubbed her hands through her hair as the search engine loaded. Not a minute later and the search results were up as Harry clicked on the first website that she felt gave the most information and began reading the article.

"Okay, 'Magic or the use and manipulation of energies was a rare practice in Mediaeval Alagaesia, but commonplace amongst Elves, Dragons and their Riders of the old Order, and magic users of all races. Since the defeat of the Old Order of the Dragon Riders and, by extension, the Mad King Galbatorix by Eragon Shadeslayer, the magicians, Witches, Elves and other magic folk have all fallen into myth and legend at the start of the Technological Era.' How is this helpful?" Harry read out loud, scanning the article for any sign of magic users being able to use mind-talk. Sighing, Harry scrolled down the page, hoping to find something that told her about what had happened the night before.

"Is there anything I can help you with, Miss?" A voice asked, scaring Harry into looking around to a Librarian behind her and smiled whilst closing the window and saying, "No. I was just researching something."

"And that would be, what exactly?" the librarian looked at her with an elegantly shaped eyebrow and brushed a loose lock.of hair behind her ear as Harry looked at the floor and replied, "Would you believe me if I told you?"

"Try me." The Librarian looked at her, smiled and sat down as if to see if the girl could come up with a crazy excuse and waited. Seeing no way out except to just get up and leave, Harry took a deep breath and asked, "Say you were magical, how would you go about communicating with someone that you weren't near?"

The librarian looked at her and shook her head, smiling even wider before she answered, "I think what you're talking about is Mind-Talk. Now, I'm not saying that I'm an expert, and I don't plan on being one anytime soon. But, Mind-Talk was a method that wasn't limited to just people, Elves, Dwarves that could do magic, Dragons and Riders all used this gift to communicate not only with those they knew but those they were in a battle with. As such, magic users, no matter what race, age or gender, learnt to protect their minds from this and more. Mediaeval Alagaesia was a time of distrust ad anarchy, what with the Fall of the Dragon Rider Order, and there were even constant battles due to the King Galbatorix being rebelled against by the Varden, Elves, Dwarves and eventually the Urgals."

"What do you mean by protecting your mind? How could you do that? How did you know when you were under attack?" Harry asked, listening raptly and making the Librarian laugh and hold up a hand as she said, "One question at a time, child. I can't answer all of your questions."

Harry smiled slightly as the Librarian looked at the computer and logged into the one next to her and set up a search engine and clicked on a website after the page had loaded, saying, "I'm not really the expert, but there'll be someone who'll be willing to talk to you. All you have to do is look. Mind-talk is a very complex art and those who have the know-how can do it. Look on this website. It should tell you everything you need to know. It's very private as very few know of it."

Standing, the librarian added, "I hope you find everything you need to know, Miss Stronghammer."

Before Harry could ask how the woman had known her surname, the librarian was gone and Harry was left alone with the website on the computer. Looking at the screen, Harry saw an image of two men walking in the dark, their hands stretched out as if they were trying to find their way. Above the duo of searchers, there was a woman chained up with her eyes closed and looking down slightly in sadness. In between the two men were silvery lines going to and from their heads. The entire scene looked depressing as Harry read the caption underneath, which said, 'Imitation of the Great Raz'ac purge. The woman is said to have been Katrina Ismirasdaughter-Stronghammer, wife of Roran Garrowsson-Stronghammer, below left, while the man on the right is said to be Eragon Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider of the Varden.'

Harry stared at the picture in awe before she called up another window and typed in 'Eragon Shadeslayer' and pressed 'Enter'. The page quickly summoned up a slate picture of a young teenage boy with light brunette hair, slightly tipped elfin ears, brown eyes that shone with experiences untold and a pale complexion. As she stared at the picture, Harry felt a sense of familiarity towards the teen and found herself wondering what he looked like today. The image of a man in a cloak leapt unbidden to the front of her mind before she pushed the thought away.

Shaking herself out of her stupor, Harry sighed before looking at the time and swore as soon as she saw that it was nearly four in the afternoon. The meeting was at sundown and that wasn't until another three hours yet. Unsure of what to do with the time until then, Harry ran her hand through her hair and looked around the room that she was in. With only three hours to spare, she decided to go back and face what her mother had planned for her that evening as well as get ready for meeting Bromsson and Saphira. As she exited the building, she wondered if this Bromsson really would be someone she had met before, and if so, how he had met her. She also wondered what they would be doing that very minute. Deciding that being late wouldn't do, she got up from the seat and left the library to go to the ruins and the meeting place of Bromsson.

She never noticed the librarian watching her leave and smile before going back to work, her eyes closing briefly before she walked away.

Eragon

Eragon was actually meditating as they both waited for the time to come when he was to go back to the new city of Teirm and meet with the girl. A week had passed since the first meeting and he was wondering how she would react. His worrying was projecting through his link with the mighty dragoness beside him as she cracked open one of her impressive eyes and said, If it bothers you that much, go to Teirm early.

We still have to contact Arya, Saphira. She promised us one week to get reacquainted with the lay of the land. Eragon replied, opening his eyes and running a hand through his messed-up hair and standing to stretch his tired muscles, groaning slightly as he did so. Looking at the sword that lay beside the saddlebags with the chainmail armour, he looked up to the thickening clouds and said to his partner, It looks like it'll be raining soon. We'd better be quick if we don't want to get wet.

Best decision yet. Go on, Little One. Go to Teirm and bring the girl back safely. Saphira said, a hint of a smile on her thoughts, a smile that made her Rider do the same as he nodded, hugged her snout and left their campsite; but not before the first drops of rain fell onto his back as he made to get up and leave.

"Whoever you are, I hope that you are awaiting my arrival." He muttered in Dwarvish as leaves crunched under his boots and the rain started to fall harder in the forest. Soon enough, he started running down the forest hills and near the main road, slowing down as he hit the hard floor. By then, the rain was falling faster as he hunched his shoulders and pulled up the hood of his cloak and pulled it tighter as he turned to the road and began walking on the hard ground.

It was no time at all when he reached the city of Teirm and was making his way through the crowd to the arranged meeting place. The rain had started to fall heavier as he stood watch for the girl making her way to meet him, in fact he could see someone pushing their way through the same crowd towards him, in a tunic and cloak but no hood as their hair fell lank due to the weather.

Saphira, remind me again why you wanted to meet this girl. He said, reaching out with his mind as the girl came out of the crowd, stood looking around and spotted him before coming over to where he was stood, smiling nervously as he pushed his hood down and revealed his face to her.

"Wait, you're Bromsson? I was expecting someone who was more, well, more." She asked, a surprised look taking over her features as he nodded and answered, "More than me? I'm afraid that I am indeed Bromsson. Saphira is waiting for us and she does not like to be kept waiting long."

"I guess we'd better meet her. What's Saphira like? Where is she staying anyway? In one of the hotels or perhaps at home, away from the rain? Oh, my name's Harry Stronghammer by the way. What's your first name?" Harry rattled off as they began walking down the road. Eragon scowled slightly as Saphira finally deigned to join their minds together and heard the questions and began chuckling her throaty laugh.

"Saphira is, shall I say, a bit more different to modern society. She's also a little bigger than the normal person's house and has to have one specially made. We'll be going to where she's staying but you have to promise that you won't tell anyone about what you hear tonight when we get there." Eragon said, looking at the girl as she looked ahead and pointed out the gates and commented, "Is that why we're going out of the city. To go to the camping grounds where she is?"

"Close enough."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, suspicion lacing her choice slightly as they made their way through the gates, out of the city and began walking to the forest. Eragon smiled as he lead the way and said, "We're staying in the Spine."

"Wait, what? You're actually sleeping there?" Harry asked, shock running through her system while she froze and looked at him as he turned back and nodded, answering, "Only place we could find that was undetectable and fit our needs."

"But what about the wildlife and the Urgals. They're not exactly the most friendliest of Alagaesian people. Or haven't you ever heard of them?"

"Trust me when I say, we're okay in the Spine and we will be welcomed once more like always."

Harry scowled as Eragon turned and started walking again, this time more slowly to allow the girl time to catch up to him before he turned to go into the forest, beckoning her to follow. Stopping as he entered, he saw the girl look around before picking up her cloak and following him in.


	6. Meeting Saphira

"Couldn't you have picked a better spot to stay?" Harry grumbled, looking up at Eragon as he neared the top of the forest bank they were currently climbing. Turning as he paused, he saw the girl still holding the cloak aloft and was treading on the ground like she didn't want to get mud on her clothes. Rolling his eyes slightly, he went back down and held out a hand as he answered, "Just as I said before, this was the only place we could find that was undetectable. Besides, Saphira is too noticeable for us not to stay anywhere nearer to Term."

Huffing, Harry took hold of the proffered hand and hoisted herself upwards as Eragon began walking up the embankment once more, saying under his breathe, "Just be happy that you weren't born in my time."

Harry looked up as she heard a whisper and raised an eyebrow as they both got to the top and the ground levelled out somewhat as she asked, "What did you say and what do you mean?"

"The time that I am talking about wasn't the best time to be born. Men, women and children were suspicious about their own neighbours and news was not as fast as it is these days. It took around two months to travel a long distance and that was by horse. People who opposed the King were named traitors and were at times caught and forced to serve the King. I consider myself lucky that Saphira and I were never caught as we would not be here today." Eragon answered, walking ahead and adding, "We're almost there."

Looking around, the girl saw bits of woods that were torn and rugged strewn around the forest and also some kind of track that tore up the muddy ground. Nerves shot up in her as Eragon shook his head and carried on walking. Walking towards the clearing that possibly held a monster, his face strangely making faces with no indication as to what was going on and with no explanation.

"Harry, Saphira says to go into the clearing. I'll be behind you the entire time." Eragon said after a minute of silence, looking at the girl as a small rustling came from the clearing, "She won't harm you. She has given me her word not to do anything that will harm or insult you."

"How do I know that she won't hurt you for bringing me? Just how well do you know her?" Harry asked, looking at the clearing as nervousness threatened to overwhelm her. Putting a hand on her shoulder, Eragon smiled gently and said, "I've known her her entire life from when I found her right through until now. She's like a sister to me when I only ever had my uncle and cousin to look to for guidance. She's my best friend and always will be. I trust her with my life."

Smiling at his words, Harry nodded and took a calming breath and somehow found herself walking towards the clearing as the rustling started up again, this time she ignored it as the trees were blown back a little and scales of some kind of beast were briefly thrown into her view before the trees snapped back into place leaving her and Eragon stood there, one frozen slightly while the other had an impassive look about their face as he looked down at the teenager beside her.

"Harry, are you feeling okay? Do you want to meet her another day?"

"No, I want to do it now. Let me have a minute then I'll go through and meet Saphira." Harry told him, looking at the trees, puffing out her chest and walking swiftly forwards. Eragon followed soon after, smiling as the girl walked into the clearing and stood still, bathed on moonlight as she stared at the dragon inside.

"Saphira?"

Yes, child. I am here. Came the reply, startling her as Eragon walked forward and took off the cloak, revealing a tunic that had seen better times as the hemming was frayed and the stitching was in need of renewing. Harry stared as the dragon opened an eye and watched as he folded the cloak up, stored it in a bag before he turned and nodded as he sat and closed his eyes. The dragon turned it's eye upon Harry and the voice sounded again, There is no need to cause alarm, my child. I have wanted to speak since this idiot here first wandered into Teirm.

"Eka elrun ono, Saphira." Bromsson murmered, shooting a glare as Harry blinked and looked at him as he stared back and sighed, adding, "What this over-grown lizard means is, she's wanted to see if anyone else knows about us yet after you followed me into the old city."

"Wait, this is... This is Saphira? But then that must mean..."Harry gasped, looking at the newly-named Saphira and back as he stood tall, nodded and replied, "Nam iet er Eragon Sundavar-Vergandí, sönr abr Brom un förn er Saphira Bjartskular."

"You're Eragon? You're actually him?"

Eragon, having just revealed his name and that of his dragon, chuckled as he smiled kindly and nodded, which set Harry's mind racing and her mouth to fall open in shock.

I love revelation chapters soo much!!!! This was always going to happen, right from the word go and I hope that you like reading it as much as I love writing it. I'm actually writing this on holiday and on my phone while my dad's out. I'm having a wonderful time and don't want to go back to dreary old England. Now, I have the hiccups so I'm getting a drink and will be working on the next chapter soon enough.

Till next time, I'm out. PEACE!!


	7. Talking and Flying

What seemed like hours, but could have actually been minutes, passed before Harry Stronghammer was able to talk once more. While this was happening, Eragon and Saphira spoke in the depths of their minds, now freely able to do so in front of their guest. The only indicator that they were even having a silent conversation was the fleeting emotions on the Riders face and the small grumbles that came from the dragoness herself. The conversation was ended abruptly as Harry shook her head and cleared her throat, causing them both to look at her and Eragon to look concerned as he asked, "Are you okay, Harriet? You look like you're about to be sick."

"I've just found out that two of the legendary warriors of this land are still alive and you ask if I'm okay. Of course, I'm not!" Harry replied, shaking her head as the Rider smiled and chuckled slightly while Saphira rolled her eye and said, _She'll be well soon, Eragon. Don't worry yourself about how she is feeling. Let us get onto why we wanted to talk in the first place._  
"You're right as usual, Saphira."

 _ _Of course, I am, Little One. I am a dragon.__

"Yeah, why did you want to talk to me? Was it about whether or not I'd told anyone?" Harry interjected, looking from the dragoness to the man as they looked at her and Eragon nodded and sighed before he said, "Saphira also wants to know why you don't look scared."

 _ _This idiot here was also worried about you after the two of you met in the ruins.__ Saphira butted in, nudging Eragon with her nose while he scowled and blushed a sharp red as he turned to glare at her. This only caused the dragon to start up a jumping growl which he ignored in favour of turning to Harry as she asked, "You were actually worried about me? How come?"

"You reminded me of someone in the ruins." Eragon answered, turning away as his face became sad, "She would have looked like you and her mannerisms were the same as yours."

While he said this, Saphira stopped her growling and looked at them both, Eragon rubbing his arm while Harry bit her lip and softly asked, "Who was she?"

"My daughter, Myriam," Eragon answered softly, almost in a whisper. Tears threatened to fall as he added, "She disappeared thirteen years ago tomorrow. Her mother was worried for a long time when she contacted us."

Harry stared at the Rider- no, father- as he sighed and looked her in the eyes, a smile that looked forced playing about his lips as Saphira added, __Myriam, although not a Rider herself at the time of her disappearance, would have been schooled by Eragon when the time came for her to learn the ways of the Dragon Riders. She was only five when it happened but we hold dearly onto the memories of the times she would visit with her mother. That is why Eragon looks sad. He's remembering.__

"I'm sorry. I'd hate to lose someone so close to my heart." Harry whispered, looking the dragon in the eye as she blinked and then at Eragon as he sighed and smiled before saying, "We would have come straight back if a trainee hadn't called out to us afterwards, wanting to tell us about what they had learnt in the woods."

"Is that why you're back now? To look for Myriam?" Harry asked them, sitting on the floor as Eragon also sat and answered, "Yes and no. As a matter of fact, we were summoned back by Arya, Queen of the Elven folk. We have to contact her as soon as we've acclimatised ourselves with the lay of the land. Alagaësia has changed since our time and we are out of sorts. She gave us little to go on, but enough to know we were needed again."

"How long ago was that?" Harry questioned, Eragon hesitating before answering, "Five weeks ago today. Arya gave a week before contacting her. We will contact her soon after we have taken you back to Teirm safely."

 _ _The night does not stay young forever. Young Harriet's parents will be wondering where she is.__ Saphira told them, looking at each of the as Eragon looked to the sky and muttered the same word as in the ruins. Getting up, he sighed, put his cloak back on, concealing the tunic, before he turned to their guest and said, "It is later than we thought. If you would like, Saphira and I can fly you back to the city and walk you to the walls. Neither of us wants to be discovered just yet."  
With the girl's nod, Saphira surged to her feet, stretching out in a cat-like manner before Eragon showed Harry how to mount and where to put her feet, before climbing on himself when she had settled in the saddle which sat at the base of the massive dragon's neck.

Before they took off, Harry had the urge to ask, "Eragon, will you come before the end of the festival? I'd like my parents and grandmother to see you and meet the man from the ruins."  
 _We won't be staying long after contacting Arya, Little One. And no doubt that Eragon will want to take the quickest route to Ellesméra to confront the trouble._ Saphira supplied the answer as she crouched, raised her wings in preparation and jumped high enough to reach above the trees and brought her wings down need in a massive flap, causing Harry to scream as she did so. She continued to flap until they had reached a high enough altitude and directed the path towards the city.

As Harry screamed and hung onto the Riders saddle ring, being in front, she felt Eragon's hand lay upon hers and heard him say in her mind, __Saphira won't let you fall, Harry. And neither will__ _I._

"Well, that's comforting a little. Knowing that two warriors are keeping an eye out." Harry shrieked back, feeling his hand tighten slightly before it was withdrawn. Eragon didn't reply after that as they started to descend to the ground. Looking out over Saphira's neck, they saw the lights of the city, which Harry groaned at. The landing was bumpy but silent as Saphira reared up and flapped down, bringing them all to a standstill before the bump at the end. Bringing her wings to her body, the dragoness crouched low and allowed her passengers to dismount, which they did and both stretched their muscles, the girl wincing slightly as she stamped on the ground to get the blood flowing once more.

As they both walked away, Harry gave a small smile as Saphira said, __I should think that we will meet again soon, Harriet. May the wind rise beneath your wings, Young One.__

"I don't know," Harry said suddenly, Eragon looking at her in confusion and they got out of the field and began walking down the road. Blushing as he raised an eyebrow, she explained, "I don't know why I wasn't scared of Saphira. I think it might have been what you said when you told me you trusted her with your life. As to whats going on, it may have something to do with the old legislation about the magicians. From what mom said, ten years ago, the government tried to bring it back. It had the elves, Dwarves and Urgals angry enough to call a full retreat of their forces, and even the Riders went away. At least that's what mother says anyway."

"Thank you for telling me this, Harry. I hate to think what would have happened if I had gone to Ellesméra without knowing this beforehand. As for Saphira, I'm glad that you weren't scared." Eragon replied, smiling as they walked on towards the gates and soon even they had to part, Harry running into the city, causing a good deal of panic and getting surrounded as Eragon slipped away into the shadows of the night, whispering, "Atra guliä waíse medh ono, Harriet."

 _ **Don't kill the writer because she's given a cliffhanger! For those of you who were wondering who the 'her' was a couple of chapters back, I hope this gives an insight into that mystery.  
**_ _ **Anyway, I think I should do a translation for the ancient language usage.**_ _ **  
**_ _ **First up: last chapters are:**_

 **Nam iet er Eragon Sundavar-Vergandí, sönr abr Brom un förn er Saphira Bjartskular.  
** _ **This translates to My name is Eragon Shadeslayer, son of Brom and this is Saphira Brightscales.**_

 _ **The one for this chapter was**_

 **Atra guliä waíse medh ono, Harriet.**  
 _ **This translates as May luck be with you, Harriet.**_

 _ **Oh, I ought to say that Myriam is pronounced as my-REE-am. Not Miriam.**_

 _ **Until next time,**_  
 _ **Hermione Jean Burto**_ _ **n**_


	8. Getting Answers

HARRY

As soon as Harry stepped through the gates and into the city, not only was she pounced upon by worried festival organizers and parents, but also the law enforcement looked outside to the closing gates, yet made no move as Harry was hounded by questions about where she had been and what she'd been doing. One festival goer swore that they had seen a man waiting for the teenager, a man who looked like he didn't want to be seen and wearing a tattered cloak with the hood over his head. This immediately garnered more questions from worried adults, namely her parents, mainly because of the fact that she had gone with him, instead of being suspicious and cautious.

Looking at the gates, she saw the Rider's silhouette walking away and smiled slightly before saying, "I trusted the man enough to go with him and meet his friend. He told me that he wouldn't harm me and his friend would be the same way."

"And you believed him?" Harry's mother piped up, shaking her head as she gripped the girl's shoulder and started to steer her out of the crowd and towards the hotel, Howard and the elder Stronghammer woman following as the crowd parted and allowed them through. As they walked, Harry felt increasingly uncomfortable with the attention and found herself wondering what Eragon and Saphira were talking about. It had only been a short time since they had parted and Eragon had had some trouble with the abbreviations that she'd been saying, speaking in a little formal manner that she, herself, only used when talking to pompous idiots such as other lords and ladies and sometimes even the monarchy themselves.

Snapping out of her thoughts, the girl just caught the last rebuke that her mother was saying, "... You could have been taken, Harriet. People look at you and they may see easy money on the horizon. The next time you meet this man, allow me and your father to talk to him first."

"Mum, I'm sorry for walking out today. Besides, he won't be sticking around long enough for a talk with you. He also gave me his word that no harm would befall me or him. His friend was rather welcoming." Harry tried to tell Minerva. Shaking her head, Minerva looked down at her daughter and said, "You should have told us you were going out of the city. Did you even get his name? And what of this friend of his? Did they have a name?"

Harry smiled and answered, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you their names, mom. You wouldn't believe me."

"Oh, and why would that be?" Howard asked, looking his daughter in question as she smirked and replied, "Let's say that their names are rare enough and leave it at that."

Shrugging out of her mother's hold, Harry began walking ahead, her head down and hidden under her hair as they all reached the hotel and went to their bedroom suite.

Eragon and Saphira

Has anybody told you that you worry too much, Eragon? Saphira asked as they flew back to their campsite. Eragon hunched his shoulders as the forest loomed in the dark. Both being able to see in the near dark, it didn't take them long to locate where they were sleeping.

I am aware that I worry a lot, Saphira. It is just my nature as a both a father and as a teacher. Eragon replied, still hunched over as they spiraled down into the trees and landed in their camp, the Rider dismounting and immediately going over to fetch a small digging tool before digging a hole big enough to hold water for their spell. As this was going on, Saphira brought her wings in close and watched the happenings as Eragon stopped his digging, placed a hand near the hole and uttered, "Adurna rïsa." to bring water to the surface and allowed it to fill the hole, saying a single word to stop the flow once it had reached the point of over-filling.

Bracing himself, emotionally and physically, he looked to Saphira, who blinked as she seemed to nod, took a deep breath and uttered the words for communicating via a mirror, all the while having a picture of Arya, Queen of the Elven Folk in his mind.

As he uttered the words, the water lost all reflection of the dark trees and the skies above, became blacker than night and then, a room, that looked to be made out of a tree, appeared before them both. In the room, sat a desk that too looked to be made out of the very same tree, sung from the very same tree by the Elven Royal Family thousands of years before Eragon I was even born and the nation of elves were traveling from their homeland.

Smiling at the slightly familiar sight, Eragon saw the elf at the table and cleared his throat, startling her into looking up and watched as she slowly put down the quill she was writing with and got up out of the chair to walk to the mirror and smiled in relief, before she said, "Ebrithril, you're back in Alagaësia."

Eragon smiled even wider as he nodded and replied, "We're back, Mae. Is Arya busy?"

"Not that I know of, Eragon-eldr. I can go and check for you if you like." 'Mae' shrugged, walking to the door and going through it, bowing as she went, much to his slight discomfort.

Eragon. You know your title requires them to bow. Saphira scolded, noticing him wince while they waited for the Queen to speak with them. Looking at her, he sighed and shuffled before saying, I never asked for that, Saphira, and you know it.

You never asked to be King of Alagaesia. And yet you defeated Galbatorix however, you do not wish for the formalities that come.with your decision.

I know full well that the decision was the right one, Saphira. You have said on many an occasion that you could not think of anyone better for me.

And you knew the right decision was just that. Arya has arrived.

Looking down at the water, Eragon saw that Arya had indeed arrived and was looking at the desk and whatever had been on it before. She looked just like she had when they had been summoned back. Her tiara was still as elegantly in place and her midnight black hair was adorned with the flowers from the forest. Smiling as he watched, she looked up and at him before smiling just as wide for.a brief second before she said, "Welcome home, Eragon, Saphira. Atra du evarinya ono varda."

"It is good to be home, Arya. How fares Du Weldenvarden?"

"The people feel that the old law is returning. The restrictions on magic users caused them to become mere fairy tales and the people feel that it is doing the same to our land. We need the human parliament to know that magicians, Riders and dragons alike, and Seithr are not to be reckoned with. Other than that, we are all well."

It is just as Harriet told us. Only the law is nearer than she said. Saphira commented, snorting as she heard this news, causing both Arya and Eragon to look at her, Eragon having heard what she'd said and therefore bit his lip and nod in answer. Arya cocked her head to the side as he turned back and repeated her words, going on to tell her the full story afterward.

Nodding after he had finished, Arya turned and began to pace slightly before asking, "You're certain that this Harry looked Myriam's age? And that she had the same mannerism as her."

"It certainly looked like it. But Myriam could be different now. It has been a long time since she was there and we saw her."

"She always did have your recklessness, Shadeslayer." Arya laughed, a hand going to her neck, where a pendant lay. Smirking slightly, Eragon joked, "And is that a bad thing? She also had your grace and gentile."

"She was young, Eragon. She didn't know any better. On another note, how soon do you think you can get to Ellesméra? The Riders need to know that their leader isn't just a teacher on an isolated island."

"If the weather permits, we could be in Ellesméra within the next week. And that will be with no problems whatsoever. If there are problems, it could be longer."

"Make sure that it doesn't. And bring this Harriet with you. I would like to meet her." Arya said, her face and voice gaining authority as a knock sounded from her end and she looked back as another elf came into the mirror, handed her something, bowed and left again. Nodding, Eragon pressed his first two fingers to his lips, twisted it round and ended the spell as the Queen smiled kindly and hurried off. Slumping forwards, Eragon held his head as the wave of exhaustion crashed over him and he started to fall forward, catching himself as Saphira commented, Harry will be closely watched if we are to meet with her again. I saw through your mind how everyone in Teirm reacted when she walked through the gate.

Then what's the plan on meeting with Harry to tell her? The both of us flying into Teirm and demanding to meet Harry?

No. You go and meet her tomorrow. If her parents are there, meet with them and ask their permission.

Eragon sighed and nodded before setting aside his cloak and getting out his bedroll and settled down to go into the sleep state that had replaced his deep sleep state since his first incursion into the forest of elves.

We will go to Teirm tomorrow and speak with Harriet and her family. Eragon said, looking up at the tree tops and relaxing as his waking dreams took him over. A soft growl was Saphira's answer as she settled down.

HARRY

Sleep didn't come so easy for Harry. The teenager couldn't stop thinking about what the Dragon Rider had said when they were in the forest earlier. He had also seemed saddened when he had mentioned his daughter. It seemed that he was worried for the girl called Myriam and his wife had sounded very worried as well.

A prodding in her mind had her sitting up on her bed and closing her eyes as she recognized the presence of Saphira. Smiling, she said, I wasn't expecting to hear from you so soon, Saphira. My parents want to meet Eragon but I'm not so sure. Anyway, how can I help you?

Keep the book in your lap, Harry. We have spoken with Arya and she would like to meet you. Eragon will be coming to speak with you in the morning and to ask for permission to bring you with us. Expect to see changes in my Rider when he comes.

Thank you, Saphira. I'll be sure to look for any changes. Harry replied, looking at the door as it opened and in stepped her mother and father. Both looked concerned as she quickly bade the dragon goodbye, felt the dragoness' mind leave hers and looked at them as they came and sat on her bed.

"Mom, dad, what is it?" she asked, putting the book aside and sitting up further, her face morphing into concern.

"We need to talk about the man and his friend, Harry," Minerva told her, looking at her husband, then back at her daughter.


End file.
